


While You Were Away

by negatory



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-25
Updated: 2017-08-25
Packaged: 2018-12-19 20:44:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11905884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/negatory/pseuds/negatory
Summary: In which Amelie attends Angela's welcome back party and decides her time is best spent as a wallflower.





	While You Were Away

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by Lucie Pohl referencing Schuhplattler in Carolina's Youtube vid. *shrugs*

Amelie wasn't sure why she came.  These types of festivities were not her speed.  Between the perpetual roaring of the guests, the music grating on her inner ear, and the tacky decorations she was having a precisely hideous time.  Angela's grandparents circled like carrion birds as they made small talk with the people present, eyeing her dubiously.  
  
She had been quick to claim a corner of the room as her own.  She stared earnestly at her shoes by the door.  She wanted to go.  Never mind it all - that Angela had been studying oversees and was finally coming back to France after a full two years.  Never mind that missing her had become something like a daily sport as their scheduled communication became anything but.  
  
I hope I find you well, in Malawi.  
  
Greetings from Tanzania.  
  
Hello!  Currently in Yemen.  
  
Hi there, Afghanistan this time.  
  
And then?  Nothing more at all.  
  
In retrospect, it didn't take all that long for Angela to forget about her.  Amelie wasn't an idiot.  She knew that if Angela wanted to keep up with her it would have been very difficult in some of those countries.  But she also knew that Angela was part of a program.  And if the program had even a shred of responsibility, it wouldn't send her to all manner of dangerous locales without a decent way to contact her loved ones.  Amelie knew that hearing from her only every couple months would have been tough, but it would have been better than what she got.  
  
She had tried to ignore the very possible conclusion.  That Angela might have found someone else.  
  
It was plausible.  Angela never strayed when they had been together, but Amelie was always the first to hear about it if she thought someone she'd seen was attractive.  She didn't see the value in keeping her thoughts to herself and shared all of hers with Amelie.  It was never really a cause for concern, had been amusing even, as she had never actually shown interest in pursuing other men or women.  Now, turning the thought over, it bothered her tremendously.  They hadn't been seeing each other for long before she left, only five months.  
  
Maybe she met someone new while working.  Angela loved her job more than anything else in the world.  She'd like having someone around who could talk to her about her passion, truly talk to her.  She and Angela...she and Angela shared no interests.  Where Amelie gave her entire self to dance, Angela didn't see the use in it.  Where Angela was consumed wholly in her research, Amelie couldn't see the point of it.  They argued frequently over things that hardly mattered, like whether coffee or tea was better.  
  
Regardless of how unkempt Angela was, how annoying she could be, how utterly ridiculous, Amelie had fallen in love with her mere days after meeting.  
  
She huffed and swirled her drink.  Something coarse and horrible, she'd taken hardly a sip.  Moving on from Angela had been a verily impossible thought.  No one else stood a chance of competing with the world renowned doctor, extremely young for her current level of study, leading the charge on advancing nanobiology and various other subjects related to her field.  
  
No one else could tell what was wrong at a glance.  No one else felt as comfortable to be around.  No one else made her laugh more.  
  
Amelie glared at a nervous young woman attempting to approach her, made her change her mind about that.  Where the hell was Angela?  Germans were supposed to be bad at being late to functions, weren't they?  If she could see Angela one last time, putting everything to rest would be a lot easier.  That's how it went on TV after all.  Everything about to happen now could proceed just as smoothly.  _Closure_.  
  
Angela's grandparents were watching her again.  The two of them had been wary of her for as long as Amelie could remember.  They had not been pleased that their precious Angela had deigned to date a woman, and even worse, one who had no intellectual pursuits to speak of.  Amelie hadn't been invited to this celebration, but she had her ways.  Thus far, no one had dared to tell her to leave.  And they wouldn't.  
  
Amelie rolled her shoulders, feigning a picture of perfect indifference rather than muted pain.  Agitated about the party, she'd overworked herself in practice the previous day.  She ought to be resting up before the opening night of her production, but here she was, in this abominable place filled to the brim with people of all ages.  She turned her eyes again to the foyer.  She wouldn't be staying long.  
  
As if finally answering her summon, the locks on the front door began to un-click.  The whole room went silent, quiet enough to hear muffled German on a voice that was delicate and airy, winding its way in from frosted world outside.  A few people chuckled at the sharp " _Gottverdammt_!" when Angela dropped her keys.  Her grandmother stifled a sob.  It was Angela, no doubt about it.  Amelie's grip tightened around her glass.  
  
When she opened the door, the sheer volume of the room was indiscernible from thunder.  Amelie picked up on Angela's delighted snickering as her grandparents latched onto her and buried her in bear hug.  Someone pushed a lager into her hands the moment she was free and Angela laughed at that too.  She was bundled up against the cold in items that didn't come close to coordinating.  It was Angela.  
  
She pulled off her beanie with her open hand and her hair tumbled down, like spun straw, nearly white, and longer than before.  Her eyes glittered in under the party lights and she smiled without teeth, honeyed and genuine.  Angela.  
  
She raised a hand to her chest and said, "I'm so happy to be home.  Thank you, everyone."  
  
With a deafening shout the room returned, "Thank _YOU_ Angela!"  
  
Tears rolled down Angela's face at that.  
  
\---  
  
The party goers couldn't leave her alone, and Amelie, for the first time since arriving, felt a kind of kinship with them.  These family members, friends, colleagues, even some patients - they had all been waiting for her too.  They had showed her where to cut her cake and mixed all sorts of strangely named drinks for her after singing a song that carried on for an eternity.  
  
Now they were forcing her to dance.  Angela was red in the face already, from what little drink she'd had.  So that hadn't changed - she was still a lightweight.  Amelie watched her body language as she politely declined several times.  She was an awful dancer.  Amelie often used the hard fact as an excuse to get close to her and press their bodies together.  She had never needed one, but it could be fun, that way.  She found herself harboring a little smile when a burly older man yanked Angela up from her seat.  
  
Amelie had listened to Angela talk fondly about this dance before.  The Schuhplattler.  It was the ugliest thing she had laid eyes on in some time.  
  
But, Angela was apparently having the time of her life hopping around and slapping her knees like a complete fool, so she could stomach watching some more.  She was exceptionally coordinated with the other dancers despite being well on her way past tipsy.  
  
Amelie found herself unable to move from her corner, content to watch Angela move instead.  She hadn't really understood how deeply she'd wanted for her presence until this moment.  Angela looked freshly stepped out of her dreams, and she'd had so many since her departure.    
  
Eventually when they gave her a break and allowed the sweat on her forehead to cool, Angela began making her way about the room, breathing hard and wobbling slightly, to catch up with the guests.  Knowing her, she would make sure to speak every single person present before the festivities came to a close.  
  
Her grandparents interjected frequently, stealing her away likely to marvel at how far she'd come and how proud they were of her.  After fourth time, Amelie laid eyes on something new.  Her heart sank.  
  
A man came up behind Angela.  He was not very tall but he was young and profoundly handsome.  She'd never seen him before - he had snow in his hair meaning he'd just come in.  His laugh was strong and confident as he slid a calloused hand around Angela's waist, tugging her against his side.  
  
It...was alright.  It only meant that all of her assumptions had been correct.  Amelie found herself very angry at the circumstance, but in a way, she'd been preparing for this for a while already.  
  
She had decided that she had seen all she needed.  Having had Angela in close proximity did help in a way, helped to know that she was capable of being happy without her.  There was no need to exchange words.  
  
Amelie finished her drink, let it burn on the way down, and stood with a heavy sigh.  Keeping close to walls of the house, the places where it was most dark, she headed for her coat.  While she was trying to pick it out from the dozens and dozens of others, a hand landed on her shoulder.  Stifling a pained noise, Amelie turned slowly with a clenched jaw.  
  
Angela's grandparents?  
  
They winced at her, looking very uncertain.  Amelie narrowed her eyes.  What the hell did they want?  
  
"Well, we just, we wanted to say something," the old man spoke first.  He had a customary sense of dress, and in some small way, he'd always had the faintest bit of Amelie's respect for that.  "We saw you come in but we hadn't been so sure it was you."  
  
Amelie was silent, impatient to leave.  If the atmosphere had been unbearable when she first came in, it was doubly so now.  
  
Angela's grandfather adjusted his glasses and stood a little straighter.  "We wanted to thank you for showing up."  
  
Angela's grandmother gave her a refined simper.  "Yes dear, you have our thanks.  We haven't seen you in so long, and still you came."  
  
Amelie was caught off guard.  "Hm, of course.  How could I not?"  
  
"It's big of you that you would, even after the hard time we always gave you..." Angela's grandfather trailed off.  
  
Amelie gripped her coat in her hands, feeling trapped despite how welcome the unconventional apology was.  "Yes well, Angela was important to me."  She really needed to get going before the woman in question decided to -  
  
Steadying herself against the buffet table with the foreign man still beside her, Angela was squinting their way.  
  
Angela's grandmother was saying something now, but they were out of time.  She interrupted her with a brilliant smile that stunned the old woman into silence.  Amelie took her hands and clasped them in her own.  
  
"I'm terribly sorry to be so rude but I really must be going." Using her most pleasant voice: "Thank you for the incredible food and drink.  Please, give Angela my best."  She threw on her coat and slipped into her shoes.  Over the heads of her grandparents she saw Angela sliding past bundles of people edging closer, her face crumpled and inquisitive.  
  
The old man found his voice first.  "Don't you want to say something to Angela?  I don't believe she's seen you yet."  
  
With luck, not yet.   "I'll have to catch up with her another time, I'm afraid."  She offered another genial grin.  
  
Angela's grandmother was not satisfied.  "Dear, must you?"  She wrung her hands.  "Maybe take some food with you before you go?"  
  
The overt kindness was really quite baffling.  If Amelie had to posit a cause, she would suppose that perhaps it was the passage of time.  They had missed Angela profoundly - perhaps in some strange way they had missed her as well.  
  
"Again, I'm truly sorry.  Maybe next time."  Wouldn't be a next time.  She leaned in and kissed them both on each cheek, something she had never done before.  It worked well as a placating measure, she was finally able to dislocate herself from them.  "Au revoir."  She'd probably given herself away if Angela was still watching.  She refused to check.  As discreetly as she was able, she slipped outside.  
  
It was a short distance to where she left her car in the nearby park.  She was thankful she had chosen to wear flats - she would move that much quicker.  
  
She had hardly made any progress down the sidewalk before she heard her name being called.    
  
"Amelie?  Ames, is that you?"  
  
She didn't slow her pace.  She wanted to go home, get in bed, and remain there until her company sent for her.  
  
"A-Amelie, wait up.  I want to talk to you."  
  
Amelie was suddenly very tired.  Angela sounded unsteady on her feet.  
  
"Hey.  _Hey_!  I know you can hear me!  I said - _whoop_!"  
  
Amelie sighed and about faced.  Nothing could ever just be easy.  Cautiously, she knelt beside Angela.  She was a complete mess but seeing her up close was so much better than from across a room.  She could smell her perfume.  It had been an aeon since she had last and Amelie's stomach flip flopped, giddy and bitter all at once.  
  
"...Are you okay?"  
  
Angela brought a palm down upon the concrete.  "I'm fine!  It's just a scraped knee!"  She looked up at Amelie, not quite at tears but close.  "Were you just going to leave without saying anything?  I didn't even know you were here!  Ames!"  
  
Amelie twisted her mouth.  Here come the hysterics.  It's the primary reason Angela was typically a wary drinker.  
  
"Es-tu blessé?"  She carefully shrugged off her coat and wrapped it around Angela.  
  
"I said I'm fine!  Hilf mir bis _Arschgeige_."  
  
She couldn't help a small smile at that.  "I will, there is no need for nasty language.  We will stand together at three.  Ready?"  
  
Angela gave a little nod that was exceedingly childlike.  She placed her hand in Amelie's.  Touching her again after so long felt surreal.  
  
"Un.  Deux.  _Trois_!"  
  
In one swift and clean motion, without much work from Angela herself, she was upright.  She gave Amelie a dazed look.  
  
"You're strong.  I think I forgot about that."  
  
"Perhaps it is because I dance for a living?  Difficile d'être sûr."  She bent to retrieve her coat that Angela left on the ground and and put it back around her shoulders.  
  
Angela's forehead crinkled.  She seemed to be trying very hard to be logical.  "You still dance?"  
  
"I still dance."  
  
Angela gazed at her for a long time, hazy blue eyes traveling down her body.  It is a very familiar look, and Amelie squirms a little underneath it.  
  
"Are you still awake?"  
  
Angela didn't acknowledge the jest.  "It's been a long time," Angela carefully slid her arms into the coat sleeves, "since I've heard your voice."  
  
Amelie arched an eyebrow.  "Oh?  And what has changed for you now that you have?"  
  
"To be frank, quite a lot.  I didn't think I'd see you again."  
  
"And here we are.  An unhappy little destiny isn't it?"  
  
Angela pushes against her and Amelie bites the inside of her cheek as her shoulder throbs.  "You came to my party, of your own free will, and stayed.  I know you hate things like this.  You put up with all of it, and you decided not to see me in the end?"  
  
Amelie put her hands in her pockets and felt the chill air lash about her.  "Well done.  Very keen summery, even while inebriated."  
  
"I don't get it."  Angela frowned.  
  
"I doubt that's a phrase you get to say often."  
  
"Well, when you stop making sense, it turns up in my vocabulary."  
  
Amelie ground her teeth, feeling anger rising again.  "I came to this party to put you to rest.  To better erase you."  
  
Angela's eyes went wide.  "That's rude, even for you."  
  
"How so?  I have given you my finest coat to wear."  
  
"And now you are back to deflecting when we need to sort things out."  
  
"I'm going home.  Keep the coat or trash it, I don't care which."  Amelie continued the trek to her car, trudging through the sandbox of the children's playground.  
  
Angela blinked hard, struggled for clarity, and followed.  "Really?  You're this committed to not answering me?"  
  
"Does it matter how I answer?  If I do?  You have clearly moved forward."  Amelie found herself sneering, furious.    
  
Angela balled her fists in the too long sleeves of Amelie's coat, teetering slightly.  "So what if I had?  Tell me why that matters to you now!"  
  
Amelie rounded her car, shoving her keys into the driver side door.  "Then that's that then."  
  
Angela reached over her shoulder and slammed the door shut.  "What you do want me to do?  You show up here after ignoring my letters for _months_ \- "  
  
" _Quoi_?"  
  
Angela grit her teeth.  She was red in the face from exertion.  "After deciding not to respond to me - "  
  
" _Me_?  You accuse _me_ \- ?  _You_ are the one - !  _You_ \- !  You do not understand just how many _dozens_ and _dozens_ I have sent - week after week after _week_ \- !"  
  
Angela surged forward and ensnared Amelie against her car.  The kiss was carnivorous, and Amelie was soothed inside Angela's embrace.  Her car was cold against her back but Angela brought her coat around the two of them and kept warmth between them.  
  
She plastered her lips to Amelie's neck and asked: "Du hast auf mich gewartet?"  
  
"Oui," was all Amelie could manage, breathless as she was.  She brought her arms around the woman she loved, eliminating the space between.  
  
"I'm sorry," Angela murmured against her skin.  It tickled.  Amelie thought it was divine.  "Let me make it right."  
  
"Vous avez toujours été un travailleur acharné," Amelie said, before bringing their lips together again.

**Author's Note:**

> Gottverdammt! = God damnit!
> 
> Au revoir. = Goodbye.
> 
> Es-tu blessé? = Are you hurt?
> 
> Hilf mir bis arschgeige! = Help me up ass violin!
> 
> Un. Deux. Trois! = One. Two. Three!
> 
> Difficile d'être sûr. = Difficult to be sure.
> 
> Du hast auf mich gewartet? = You've been waiting for me?
> 
> Oui, = Yes,
> 
> Vous avez toujours été un travailleur acharné. = You have always been a hard worker.


End file.
